Thursday 21 March 2019

Hellblasters: Just Glow With It

And now some Hellblasters...

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblasters

... because of course Hellblasters.

These plasma-enthusiasts are from the kit, rather than the monopose Dark Imperium set - there's little difference in cost (a drawback of being such a popular unit) and at least you can get some variety (as much as is possible in space marines with big plasma guns).

Space Wolves Primaris HellblastersSpace Wolves Primaris Hellblasters

I split the set into two squads: assault hellblasters and regular hellblasters. Not because I see the tactical virtue in doing so, but if I'm paying for the extra bits in a kit, I going to use them!

I was sorely tempted by the backpack/cabling of the heavy variant, but I just can't see my army working with it, so had to draw the line.

Space Wolves Primaris HellblastersSpace Wolves Primaris Hellblasters

So I can tell one unit from the other (the difference in models is literally just that the assault hellblasters have those flat scopes on top of their plasma incinerators), I made all the assault guys bare-headed (so they can keep a cool breeze as they're running around).

This was obviously a daft notion, since I then had four more sets of eyes to paint on (and my favourite thing about all these Primaris their easy-peasy helmet lenses).

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblaster Sergeant

I also gave them all grey hair (plasma operator must be a stressful job), to hearken back to the Long Fangs heavy support.

The sergeant gets a greenstuff beard to look extra-gruff. I looked at kitbashing some genuine Space Wolves heads in there, but I don't really like them - a bit too cartoony for me (although there are some third-party bitz that have caught my eye).

Space Wolves Primaris HellblastersSpace Wolves Primaris Hellblasters

The regular Hellblasters do seem a bit more basic, but I guess they are the default. Nice and simple to paint, as always - the only tricky thing was their massive guns held across their chests.

Sticking with my 'get it done' mantra, I didn't fuss too much over the plasma glow. I've seen this done very well, but it can also be a real time sink for not much reward. A blue glaze over a white undercoat seemed to do the trick.

Space Wolves Primaris HellblastersSpace Wolves Primaris Hellblasters

This Sergeant get greenstuff muttonchops, so now he looks really '70s. He also has a mechanical arm with a plasma pistol - appropriately enough, this is detachable, for when I don't have a spare 5pts and want to give him a pointing finger instead.

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblaster Sergeant

Similar paint scheme to the other Space Wolves:
  • Armour: The Fang base, Agrax Earthshade wash, Russ Grey drybrush, Fenrisian Grey drybrush
  • Yellow pauldron: Averland Sunset base, Cassandora Yellow wash, Yriel Yellow drybrush
  • Imperial Aquila: Retributor Armour base, Reikland Flashshade wash, Golden Griffon drybrush
  • Belt buckle, helmet coils and gun parts: Ironbreaker base, Nuln Oil wash
  • Gun frame: Chaos Black
  • Plasma glow: Ulthuan Grey base, Guilliman Blue wash, Ulthuan Grey highlights
  • Assault lens: Stormhost Silver, base, Soulstone Red glaze
  • Eye lens: Evil Sunz Scarlet
  • Belts and holsters: XV-88 base, Agrax Earthshade wash
  • Base: Vajello Earth Texture, Agrax Earthshade wash, Mounfang Brown lip

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblasters
Space Wolves Primaris Hellblasters

I really need to pull my finger out and paint some characters - I've got an otherwise-playable army here!

6 comments:

  1. Nice looking bois. Plasma without a helmet eh? Madness. But I guess if you overcharge and it kills him regardless of helmets or not!

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    1. Yep, I reckon if the plasma incinerator blows up in your hands, then the helmet's wearing *you* for protection.

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  2. Hellblasters: Because Knights* don't care about Bolter fire ;)

    *And a lot of other things, to be fair. Knights are just the most extreme common example.

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    1. It's nice to make target priority easy for my opponent.

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  3. Merlin's beard! That chin fluff looks great!

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    1. Thanks! I couldn't see a clean-shaven Space Wolf, so went at him with liquid greenstuff.

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